


A Kunoichi's Destiny

by Nillaconcha



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:01:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23732758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nillaconcha/pseuds/Nillaconcha
Summary: "Hand the child over Haruno-san." Kizashi's blood splattered onto her. "Did you really think that our village wouldn't send for her?", she jerked her head up, "Hikaru should have been more truthful with you, about what it meant to be with a man like him dear." And just like that he was in front of her ripping the child out of her arms. AU shorten snippet out of chapter for summary
Kudos: 10





	1. Happiness, Regret, Grateful

It had been just seven months since she set foot once again in Konoha and six months since she wed. Her father's merchant business grew when she was young. They had to start constantly moving to expand the business as her father had explained many years ago to the sad little girl who was leaving their home. She had seen most of the world as they traveled from one end to the other. Her father was a charismatic man, managing to establish trading contracts along the many cities that they visited. From produce, shoes, and trinkets the business evolved to exotic spices, unique ceramics, expensive glass, and the finest and most beautiful silk she had ever seen; along many other things they traded from one country to another. She learned of politics, their drama and dirty laundry as her father and her dine with them and feasted with the many different Damio's courts, from fire to earth, but she had never stopped longing for the place she used to call home.

That was until he came along. Her father had to hire many mercenaries when the 3rd shinobi war started. Before a team of Konoha shinobi would work for them, but they were called back in the mist of war and their caravan needed protection from the many dangers that the road presented. Trading was a critical source to many nations and her father's network was well established and supported throughout. It was then when she met him, the young man who stole her heart. It had been so many years since they first met, she even laughed at their current situation. She thought to herself, 'Oh, how the tables greatly turn.' She hadn't like him at all back then when they first met, had then fallen head over heal for him as the saying went and well now she was going to raise his child with another. Yes, she grown to love him greatly and oh so deeply, but as soon as she knew that she was with child her priorities had shifted.

Longing for a mother since hers passed away had encourage her to tell her father that she needed to return to their old home to care for herself as life on the road was not the best for a pregnant woman. She made her father promise not to tell anyone her reason to return to Konoha. As much as she loved that man, she hated the shinobi profession, she saw what it did to people. She saw the life of too many leave their eyes and stony cold resentment replace the soft look they once held; they had to keep walking the earth with what they had done and the purpose to their profession was mostly likely gone by then, cold beneath the dirt they were forced to travel. She knew that her beloved was not there yet entirely, but it would eventually happen and before this child she herself would have probably withered alongside him. That however was no longer the case, her purpose was now to another.

She did not want that for her unborn child, she wanted him or her at the time to be able to have a happy life, a life without the troubles or duty of a shinobi and thus she had made the choice not to tell him. It was then and now the best thing she had ever done for their daughter. Now Kisashi would be her father and she would grow up happy and safe in their childhood home. Yes, she had married him. Mostly since the shinobi whom she fell in love with would no longer have a claim over her daughter as she was now officially a child of two civilians. Even though her heart broke at that she knew it was for the best, she had been sincere with Kisashi, her childhood friend, about her predicament and none-the-less he did not withdraw his marriage proposal. She knew that when children had even one shinobi parent would inevitable be drawn into the lifestyle, especially in the times of war. Hence, why she married him and was growing fond to the idea of having a father figure for her daughter.

It had been a long and tiering birth, but to Mebuki it had all been worth it. Her beautiful child was now within her arms. Ten little toes and ten little fingers, perfect, it was all she hoped for and more. Her daughter was born with the most beautiful emerald green eyes. She just loved looking into them. When her babe would flutter her long little lashes to look at the new world she recently came into she awed at the remarkable beauty within them. They reminded her of him and even though there was a painful tinge in her heart, the small bundle in her arms helped her overcome the pain. She was now enamored by the new life that she had been blessed with. There was a possibility that the one who helped her create it was most likely no longer in this world and at least a piece of him would always remained with her.

In a couple of weeks, she and her new little family would set out to meet her father in a trading port near the land of tea. She really wanted him to meet his new granddaughter and they had talk about business as he was planning to retire and for her to take over in the next couple of years. She had learned many things throughout their travels, including business and as the heir of the Haruno Merchant clan she needed to be up to date with its state of affairs. She now had an even greater motivation as her daughter would eventually be one to take on reins to the ever-growing trading empire that her father had created. "Yes, my little one you will be a strong and independent woman just like your grandmother," Mebuki cooed to her newborn 'and won't have to experience the life of your father's ancestors'.

Author's Note: Hi! New story. Have the second chapter in the works. Slow burn! Hope you like and review. More review = more updates. Its like putting in coins into a vending machine, lol.


	2. Calm Before the Tragedy

Their trip to the Land of Tea had been delayed due to a complication after the birth of her daughter. Her little baby had fallen ill, and she had spent a month and a half in the neonatal intensive care unit of the Konoha hospital. It had been such a hard-emotional time for her and Kisashi. Having to witness her small frail daughter being poked and prodded by too many doctors and nurses. Not being able to hold her newborn and comfort her, because she was too critical, the thought that she might not make it…. devasted her to a level that she never before imagine.

"She's so beautiful Mebuki.", the endearing words snapping her out of the internal struggle as her father cooed to the small pastel yellow bundle in his arms, "it's as if I was holding you for the first time again", and her heart ached painfully even more so. At some point in their previous ordeal she thought that her father might have not even gotten the chance to hold his granddaughter, she smiled a tinge of bitterness on her lips for the Kamis.

"Isn't she just the most precious thing otou-sama?" Kisashi mentioned with an air of a proud father and a glint in his eye. Her heart warmed up at the man who stood by her side through the endless nights in that hospital. His warm embraces that provided comfort when she thought that it would be the last time she would see her small babe with any signs of life. The way that he made sure that she would eat and bathe and how he reassured her that he would be in the room the few minutes she used to go to the showers or the restroom. The sweet little things he would say to her sleeping infant when he thought she was asleep and the warm-hearted lullabies he sang to her at night, the dedication of this man made her glad of their marriage. They would be a family, a happy family, her daughter would have a father and she would be safe.

But then it was as if fate mocked her. All her diligence to keep her child away from her real father and his shinobi life. For what? She asked herself, if her wishes could just be easily torn down by a higher force. Her father once spoke again, "She is one of the most precious in my life my son. I am glad that as an old man I can hold my legacy. She is a strong one, just like her grandmother and mother and one day she will show the world her strength and beauty.", her elderly father seemed to recite the words as if they were long ago written in stone. "All in all, what have you two named my beautiful granddaughter?"

She answered sweetly to her father, "Well, I have let Kisashi have the honor to do so. That way they will have something special to bond over and well I couldn't object to the name after...", she paused, and her father continued, "After?".

She really thought the kamis were laughing at her, "You are going to be surprised father, but I think you will find it quite amusing. Go ahead and remove the blanket from her head.", she withheld the sarcasm from her tone.

The old man gently pulled the blanket, the small baby stirred, a soft tuff of pale pink hair emerged. Surprised eyes looked up at the young woman across the low table and then back down at the child in his arms, "Well, little one aren't we already making a statement to the world?" He chuckled and gently rocked his granddaughter back to sleep.

It wasn't that she was bitter about her daughter being born with pink hair, she thought it was lovely, what she was bitter about was the reason for her to have been in the hospital so long. After long analysis and endless sleepless nights the doctors had come to the conclusion that her daughter was developing chakra pathways more suitable for shinobi. The doctors were amazed as she had two civilian parents and it was only commonly seen in children who had one shinobi parent with an advance kekkei genkai and a civilian parent.

 _Dam Hikaru_ , mixed feeling stirred in the pit of her stomach as she internally cursed his name. She had managed to search for more information on these supposed kekkei genkai. Information that she had to obtain illicitly as none could be found in the civilian library. Apparently, to cut it short it was a family trait passed on from parent to child that enabled them to use a special ability that no one else from outside the clan could use. She had seen Hikaru fight multiple times during their trips, but she ran over those memories countless times and did not remember seeing anything special about the way he fought off assailants. Maybe they were too low-level bandits that did not require him to use his special abilities.

The doctors speculated that it was most likely a mutation as she was child of two civilians, and with a low therapeutic dosage of chakra suppressing pills the side effects of such anomaly would subside until the chakra pathways would properly stabilize. However, her daughter would be more prone to some infections. But to her that was a better option than having her child die from chakra exertion, because her pathways could not with stand it.

"Sakura" he looked up to his son-in-law and with a smile agreed. "I'm sure she will make her mark in this world, just like her mother and grandmother, isn't that right little Sakura-hime?" He kept cooing at the baby in his arms a warm smile on his face and a new joy in his heart; one that reminded him of the one that long ago had faded since his wife passed away. They kept up with their conversation, fully engrossed with the new addition to their small happy family.

"Kisashi, do you mind asking the inn keeper at what time supper will be served dear? I am getting very hungry and its taking more of my energy from feeding Saku-chan." Her husband turned towards her and with a smile and a nod left the room. She stood up, walked to the opposite side of the table and sat next elderly man, "Father, I need a favor."


	3. Before the Strike

They were on their way back to Konoha, their hearts full and smiles on their faces. She was glad that her father had decided to retire earlier than he originally planned to be part of his granddaughter's upbringing and to spend more time with them. After a delivery to Iwa he would make his way back to Konoha to settle back into their old village. Unfortunately, that would be within a few months as the trip to and back would be long due to their heavy inventory of newly purchased silks and tea that were in high demands in the northern countries. After this trip they would be leaving most of the public affairs to one of her cousins for a couple of years until her daughter was healthy and old enough to be on the road.

After a week in Tea, her father had set out with his caravan and they got on the road early the next morning. It had been about 3 hours, meaning that is was time for another feeding, before her baby would start to get fussy. Sakura was still asleep in her arms and her hand unconsciously caressed the plump pink cheek. It was warm, and she started to feel for a temperature. Worried that her child had a fever and it would be about a week before they reached Konoha, she thought that it might be better to return to tea. Since, the nearest village was maybe a 2 or 3 day walk and even then she wasn't sure if they had any doctors there that were knowledgeable about Sakura's condition.

Looking to her side with concern to her husband she asked, "Kisashi, maybe we should turn back. I think she has a fever, if we keep going there will not be a town for a few more days." As the back of her hand felt the temperature on her daughter's forehead once again to compare from her last assessment. Kisashi looked worried at her statement and made his way to the side door of the carriage to step down, "Let me speak to the chunnin", he hurriedly stepped down and walked towards the back of the carriage to one of the squad leaders. "Genma-san...my wife and I are worried our child seems to be ill and we really do not want to risk traveling with her in this state as last time she got sick she needed to be in the hospital for weeks. We think it would be best if we returned to Tea." Kisashi conveyed to the young ninja.

They had originally requested a group for an A-class mission as his wife was adamant about the safety of their newborn. However, due to the recent attack in Konoha the new…well old Hokage had told them than the chunnin team was all he could spare at the moment and the nature of their request was more befitted a B-ranked mission. They could not complain as they could not go against their Hokage and the team so far was doing a great job.

"Of-course, Kisashi-san that is the priority of our mission, the safety and well-being of Haruno-hime is above everything else as per lady Mebuki. Let me just convey this to my team and we will turn around. Hopefully, we will be back to Tea by night fall." The shinobi reassured him and he made his way back to the carriage.

(^^)

It had been a couple a months since he became a new minted chunnin and he had been assigned as the squad leader for this mission, although he was still under evaluation from another team member with much more experience than him, it was an easy mission with good pay. Their clients had originally requested an A-ranked mission, however due to recent happenings in the village that was not a possibility….at all. Their forces were severely depleted and the only reason a four-man squad had been assigned to the Harunos was because of the heavy amount of cash they had basically thrown the villages way not only for the mission, but in commerce and trade. If it had been anyone else at most a two-man squad or maybe even a genin team would have been assigned as well lowering the ranking to C.

Even though highly discouraged in any training he had ever received, he didn't really foresee any trouble in this mission. The Harunos were kind people and their merchant group was well known in favorable standing throughout many lands. How they had managed to not acquire enemies was not something he was privy to, it was most likely to their charismatic patriarch if he had to guess. At most they expected bandits that happen to pop up and again throughout the common civilian paths, which they had to travel through as they were guarding the carriage in which their clients were traveling in. Of course, a cold was not something he would imagine that would hinder their mission, but the safety and well-being of their client was the priority and so he went to his superior.

"Ah, Senpai….we seem to have a problem. Our little Haruno-hime seems to have cached something in tea, it seems our clients want to turn back as her health has not always been the best. I understand their worry and it would be best as we might not encounter even a civilian doctor for another 2 or 3 days." He conveyed to his superior.

"Very well, it will be troublesome if our client's health gets worse. It would have been nice if a medic-nin had been assigned to us, but those are in low supply now a days. Take protocol and proceed Genma-san."

(^^)

They were about 4 hours away from the Land of Tea and nightfall certainly would be before they made it there. Shikamai Nara, had been in one too many escort missions for his liking. He had retired many years ago from the active roster, but due to recent events in his village his clan head had called him from his retirement bliss to active duty once more.

He was currently serving as supervisor to a new chunnin squad, it was supposed to be a simple escort mission to the land of Tea, but he couldn't get the troublesome feeling out of his gut. There was something bothering him about all this. He wasn't really sure. At first, he thought it was paranoia from being so young and having such an extensive track record, but then he was sure that he wasn't imagining the feeling of being watched. It was troublesome indeed and just as he was assessing a plan of action to get their clients out of harms way, explosions set off at the flanks of the carriages, sending the bodies of two chunin into the air.

"Dam-it" he had hoped it was just his paranoia.


	4. Turning Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter, please review! I'm not sure how I felt about this chapter, lol.
> 
> In memory of Kizashi.

He went of after the carriage, it seem the Harunos were the target and whoever ambushed them wanted to reach their objective and vacate the scene immediately. Managing to dodge multiple shuriken thrown from two direction, he missed the explosive tags hidden as a trap on one of the trees and was thrown in the opposite direction.

Time slowed down and feeling the impact his head made against the hard surface, disorientation set in. Managing to stand up, a cloaked figure stepped in front of him and from the corner of his eye another shadow darted into the forest. Now what exactly were they after that two high level ranking ninja had been sent after the Harunos.

"Well I am guessing that whatever you are here for, it must be hell of important for whoever you are working for, eh?"

(^^)

Hearing two explosions panic set in, the carriage started to speed off onto the road as the horses reacted and she saw the driver fall off the front seat. They needed to get the horses under control, because if the wheels hit a large rock in the road they would roll over and that was not going to happen when her daughter was inside. She looked to her side and Kizashi was shell-shocked, slapping him in the face and thrusting her daughter into his hands she looked him and the eye and said, "I need you to be brave, hold onto her for dear life Kizashi!"

She managed to kick out the carriage door, latch onto the side of the rail and climb onto the front seat. Grabbing the rains with all her strength she pulled, and the horses still did not slow down. She tried for a while until it seemed that they at least slowed their pace. They needed to confuse the enemy and hide while their escorts fought them off.

Managing to get the horses under control she brought them to a halt and quickly made Kizashi get off the carriage. She then fiercely slapped the horse's hind leg and saw them sped onto the road. Guiding her small family into the dense forest, she made sure to cover their tracks as much as possible to slow down their assailants. She had experienced these types of situations in the past and had gotten by just fine, now that her daughter and husband were in danger nothing would stop her from trying to keep them safe.

(^^)

They had been running through the forest for about an hour when her worst fear came true. A man in a black cloak and mask appeared in front of them, "Hand the child over Haruno-san."

"W-who are y-you!?" she heard Kizashi yell somewhere behind her, but all she could do was hold onto the blankets in her hand and pray to the kamis with all her might.

"Don't make this harder Haruno-san, we were order to retrieve the child no matter the cost." His cool voice made the hair on her neck stand and she wished she had never left Konoha, that she should have sent word to her father that it would be impossible to meet his caravan in Tea.

"I'm not going to ask a-again, who are you and what do you want with my d-daughter!?", her husband yelled once again. Thoughts ran through her head and the world outside of it didn't matter now. Her grip on the blankets grew tighter as she finally realized that these were no ordinary bandits like the ones she had encounter before.

"So, this is the civilian you married. Did you really think we would be fooled? Did you think people would not notice when you belly swelled and at what time you arrived at that pathetic village?" the man started to move towards them.

She felt Kizashi move in front of her and before a scream left her lips, red warm blood splattered onto her. Her horror came in waves as she saw her husband slump forward and blood began to pool at his neck. Tears streamed to her face and she was glad to have listen to him when they started running.

"Did you really think that our village wouldn't send for her once we knew about this Buki-chan?", she jerked her head up in recognition of the name, "Isn't that what Hikaru called you? He should have been more truthful with you, about what it meant to be with a man like him dear." And just like that he was in front of her ripping the blankets from her arm.

The world stopped at that moment, her heart falling as the most important thing in this world was in grave danger. Her thoughts started to race again, and she could feel her heart beating out of her chest only to be brought out of it by slap to her cheek. "I won't ask again Haruno-san! Where is the kid!?" the no longer cool and composed voice demanded for her to speak, only to get defiant eyes from her.

Did he really think that she was going to tell him where they had hidden her daughter? She knew this man was a high-ranking ninja, but she still prayed that their escorts were on their way to help them. She needed to stall him, she had to do all in her power to keep him from going to search for her daughter in the forest.

(^^)

It hadn't been easy to get rid of that anbu, but he was sufficient to be a match for her. Hopefully, her partner would not be as much of a hassle. "Where are your teammates Genma-san?", he asked the chunnin that had caught up with him.

"We manage to slow down the second attacker, but we were not match for him, so we retreated. They are breathing, but not in a good condition, I hide them in a genjustsu a mile away from the bomb-site along with the driver." They were currently running through the tree canopy along the roadside.

"It seems that Lady Haruno was able to rein in the horses and decided to hide in the forest. It would have been a great plan had these been ordinary bandits." After finding the turn over carriage he had tracked the path the civilian family had made. It had taken quite a while as they seem to have a basic concept of how to hide their tracks and they had managed to get quite a distance into the forest. They finally arrived at a clearing only to find the couple in a pool of blood.

"He is dead", Genma-san announce as he took out a sealing scroll from one of his pockets.

"She still has a pulse; it seems the kid was the objective of the ambush. There is an outpost about an hour away, we need to get her there and then we can come back to get your teammates." He soarly announced to his ()?

"Hai, taichou."

(^^)

He had managed to sell most of his sealing scrolls in the Land of Tea during the week he was peddling there. In all honesty, he would make more profit going to the ninja villages, however he liked to keep his distance from them. It wasn't like they would end up recognizing a man who was supposed to be dead and a part of history, but he preferred not to be reminded of the life he once had.

Strange things seem to be happening recently. He had managed to finish all his work earlier than anticipated, which never happened before and set out to tea a week before he usually did. Now he had this urgent feeling to take a different path to his home in the mountains that he just could not shake off. Even though the path would mean half a day longer travel, the old man decided that it would be worth to follow his gut instinct.

It was such a good idea that he wished he had done it before, as the path he had taken had so many truffles he could harvest and use during the winter months that approached. As he dug in one of the hills, he heard what seemed to resemble the cry of a kitten. It was most likely a cub from a mountain lion that was nearby, so he ignored it and kept on digging for his truffle.

The cry seemed to get louder, and yet again he could not shake off the feeling of having heard something similar. He searched for the memory of this cry, it seemed so long ago when he last heard one like this, could it possibly be? He immediately stopped his digging and listen closer, standing up and moving to a large tree with massive roots he hoped that his memory had served him wrong.

There were leaves piled up near this particular area, he really hoped that he was going senile instead of being right. The crying had stopped for a while so it most likely was a cub that was calling for his mother and just as he was going to turn away it started once more. He hurried over to the roots, removing all the leaves and pushing several large branches out of the way and there it was, a child.

Anger burned through his veins and he cursed everything he knew. Why was he left here to see this? Why did he have to be the one to view what the world kept on becoming? How history kept on repeating itself? These were things that he had long stopped asking himself, but finding this child here surfaced all the guilt and hatred he had towards this world and himself. Especially after waking up from the ashes that were left of the village he was supposed to lead and most importantly protect.

"Come on, this is no place for a kid. Especially when it's going to rain soon.", taking the small child into his arms the old man stood and nimbly jumped onto one of the high branches on the trees. Snow white hair disappear into the darkening canopy and just as the rain was meant to nurture this great forest so was his purpose.  
  



End file.
